Debussy's Clair de Lune: the romantic piano piece that even has a starring role in Twilight

27 February 2019, 12:20 | Updated: 27 February 2019, 12:22

By Elizabeth Davis

Clair de lune, meaning moonlight, was written by the Impressionist French composer Claude Debussy. Here’s everything you need to know about this piano masterpiece

Claude Debussy started wrote the incredibly romantic piano piece Clair de Lune in 1890 when he was just 28, but it wasn’t published for another 15 years!

The title means ‘Moonlight’ and the piece is actually part of the four-movement work Suite Bergamasque.

‘Clair de lune’ takes its title from an atmospheric poem by the French poet Paul Verlaine which depicts the soul as somewhere full of music ‘in a minor key’ where birds are inspired to sing by the ‘sad and beautiful’ light of the moon.

Is it easy?

Debussy’s ‘Clair de lune’ is written for solo piano – and it is actually quite straight-forward. If you can play piano up to about Grade 6 standard you should be able to have a go at it.

‘Clair de lune’ featured in Twilight

via GIPHY

Debussy’s piano miniature featured in the phenomenally popular Twilight films starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. This piece was played when Bella visits Edward in his house for the first time.

When Bella presses play on Edward’s sound system, ‘Clair de lune’ starts playing – he says ‘It’s Debussy’ and she replies ‘Clair de lune is great’. Well we can’t argue with that, Bella.